Definition

Noun: - The collective group of people who are professionally trained and authorized to practice law within a specific area or jurisdiction. This includes lawyers (attorneys, barristers, solicitors), judges, legal scholars, and other legal professionals.

Usage

The term is used to refer to the profession of law as a whole within a defined geographic or political area. It emphasizes the shared identity, standards, and responsibilities of those who work within the legal system. - The new legislation was widely debated within the legal community. - She is a respected member of the state's legal community.

Advanced Usage

• "The international legal community": Refers to legal professionals and institutions operating globally or across national boundaries.
  • The ruling was closely watched by the international legal community.

Variants and Related Words

• The bar: Often used synonymously to refer specifically to lawyers qualified to practice in a given jurisdiction. (e.g., )
• The bench: Refers collectively to judges. (e.g., )
• Legal profession: A very close synonym for the body of legal practitioners.

Synonyms

• The legal profession
• The bar (in its collective sense)
• Lawyers collectively
• Jurists (often implies judges and legal scholars)

Related Phrases

• Admitted to the legal community: Formally recognized as qualified to practice law.
  • After passing the bar exam, she was admitted to the legal community.

Noun

1. the body of individuals qualified to practice law in a particular jurisdiction
   • he was admitted to the bar in New Jersey